Fare-register



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-sheen 1. AR. CLARKE. FARB REGISTER.

Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

No. l116,211.

IIIIILS H1 lli Mummy A N PEYEHS, Phmmuxhogmphur. Washingmu, D. C.

. R. CLARKE.

FARB REGISTER.

" NW1-16,211. Patentednec.s,.1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT CLARKE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

FARE-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,21 1, datedDecember 3, 188

Application filed .April 19, 1889. Serial No. 307,725. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, ROBERT CLARKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, county of Jackson, and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain and new useful Improvements in Fare-Registers, setforth in the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation.l Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section at theline 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig.- 3 is a transverse section at the line 3 3 onFig. 2. FigA is a rear elevation of a box containing the operatingmechanism and bell withdrawn from the outer case. Fig. 5 is a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan of the registering mechanism.Fig.. 7 is a plan of the same mechanism with the registering-disksremoved, showing the operative 'mechanism more clearly.

The general design ofthis invention is to provide a registeringmechanism and a bell associated therewith, all. included within a casewhich contains a coin-receptacle, an aperture in said case through whichthe coin is introduced being guarded by a trip, the movement of whichoperates the registering mechanism, the bell being in such position withrespect to the unavoidable course of the coin in falling into thereceptacle that it will be struck by the coin' and sounded, theregistering lnechanism, including the registering-wheels on which theregistration is read, being entirely concealed within ihe outer case,said case being securely locked, so that the operator, who is supposedto be unprovided with any means of opening the lock v or otherwiseobtaining access to the case, cannot observe the indication of theregister, whose indication, if it is allowed to operate normally, mustagree with the number of coins contained in the receptacle, each coin asit enters having sounded the bell.

A represents the outer case, which contains as a part of it thecoin-receptacle A', which, as represented, is a iiexible bag; but thisis not material. It may be a rigid case constituting a continuation ofthe upper portion A2.

B is the back or principal plate of an interior ease or frame, uponwhich the registering mechanism, bell, and other parts are mounted.

C is the case in which the registering mechanism proper is contained,said case C being mounted on the interior frame or case.

D is the bell.

I will first describe the registering mechanism, which, it will be seen,is capable of being operated independently of the remainder of theinvention. This registering mechanism comprises the frame F, havingjournaled on it three spur-wheels G', G2, and G3, each having rigid withit a registering-dial G10 G20 G30, respectively, said dials havingstamped upon their upper surfaces ten iigures, from 0 to 9, inclusive.

K is a reciprocating plunger, which is guided by suitable lugs on thefralne F, the spring L being coiled around a stud Z on the frame F and`engaging a projection 7.: on the plunger and tending to hold the latterat the outer limit of its motion, where it is stopped by the stud f' onthe frame F. The plunger K has the arm K terminating in a tooth 7.3',which engages the spur-wheel G' at the outward movement of the plunger.The same wheel isengaged at the inward movement of the plunger by thetooth K2 on said plunger, which comes into engagement with the spurwheelon the opposite side from that at which it is engaged by the tooth 7e'.A detentpawl K3 is provided, consisting merely of a flat spring maderigid with the frame at one end, the other end-being adapted to engage atooth of the spur-wheel G' when the tooth 7c' is out of engagementtherewith. An inward movement of the plunger carries the tooth 7o out ofengagement with the spur-wheel G', and a little further movement causesthe tooth K2 to engage with the spur-wheel on its opposite side androtate it such a distance that when the plunger is returned by thespring L the point of the tooth 7e" on the end of the arm K' entersbehind the next succeeding tooth of the spur-wheel following the onebehind which it has been before engaged, and in the completion of theoutward movement of the plunger further rotates the Wheel a distancesufficient to bring the tooth fully into the next notch in the wheelfollowing the one with which it was before engaged, so that a completeinward and succeeding outward movement of the plunger rotates the wheelG' the distance from one tooth to the next, which is one-tenth of arevolution, the wheel having ten teeth, one corresponding to each figureon the registering-dial attached to it. At a suitable point the hub ofthe wheel G' has a single tooth g', which is longer than the teeth ofthe spur-wheel and protrudes far enough from the axis of the wheel toengage the spur-wheel G2 and actuate the latter one tooths distance ateach complete revolution of the wheel G'. A spring-actuated pawl G4engages the Wheel G2 and locks it after each movement, said Wheelhaving, like the wheel G', ten teeth, so that each actuation of itrotates. it one-tenth of a revolution. Rigid with this wheel G2 there isone long tooth (2, which engages the wheel G2 in the same manner androtates the last-mentioned wheel one tooths distance-that is, one-tenthof a revolutionwfor each complete revolution ot the wheel G2, and alocking-pawl G5, similar to G4, is provided, which in a similar mannerengages and locks the wheel G2 after each tenth of a revolution.

In order that the dials l2) and G30 may not be caused to move more thanone iigures space when the wheels G2 and GS are engaged by the teeth g'and g2, which actuate them, respectively, I provide the plunger K' witha tooth ks, projecting across the planes of the wheel and dial G20, andI provide the periphery of the dial with notches (20, one at eachfigure. The tooth h5 is in such position on the plunger K that at themost inward position of the plunger it stands in one of the` notches 922of the wheel G2 and in one of the notches Q20 of the dial G20.' Themovement of the plunger therefore, which causes the teeth g' and g2 toactuate the spur-wheels G2 and G3, respectively, also locks said wheelsby the engagement of the tooth 7.35, as described, so that onlyone-tenth of a revolution can be made at that reciprocation of theplunger.

The distance between the tooth 7c' and the tooth K2 is such that thewheel G' cannot be entirely free from engagement with both of said teethat the same time; but when one passes out ot engagement the other hasalready passed into engagement on the opposite side of the wheel. vIt isthereby rendered impossible to rotate the wheel G without reciprocatingthe plunger.

The registering-dials are covered by a plate H, provided with a slot M',extending in the direction of the plane of the axes of the wheels G' andG3, wide enough to uncover a ligure on each, and the dials G10 and G30,being separated at their edges a distance sutlicient to disclose betweenthem a iigure on the dial G2, (which is located back of the plane of thedials GW and (350,) there will be disclosed through the slot M' onefigure on each of the three dials, and the mechanism being set with O.exposed on all three of the dials at the slot, the number at any timeexposed through the slot, made up ot three Iigures on the three dials,respectively, will indicate the number of times the plunger has beenreciprocated since the dials were set at O.

The entire mechanism, including the slotted plate M, is preferablycovered by a secure case C, which is made fast to the frame F, which,with said covering-case, makes a complete inclosing-case for theregistering mechanism. The covering-case Chas a central aperature iilledby a transparent pane F', which lies over the slot M', and through saidpane the registration may be read. The shaft of each ot the wheels G2and G3 is extended through the back ot' the case-that is, through theframe-plate F-and outside ot the same is provided with a handle G21 andG31, respectively, by means of which the dials G20 and G30 may be set at0 at starting. rlhe dial Gl may be readily set at 0 by means -of thelunger.

The entire registering mechanism thus inclosed in the case described issuitably secured to the interior case or frame, and lwith said frame isentirely inclosed within the case A, so that the registration which theregister indicates cannot be observed without withdrawing the interiorcase or frame and the entire mechanism which it supports, including theregister, from the case A. The interior case or frame comprises the backor principal plate B, to which the remaining parts are secured, and abolt N is inserted through the front and back plates ot the case A,passing through the plate B', said bolt having a head N l at one end anda slot N2 at the other end, into which slot the padlock N3 may belocked, thus preventing the removal of the frame and mechanism from thecase A.

I will now describe the interior case or frame and the remainingmechanism mounted thereon. This frame is adapted to telescope endwiseinto the case A, and it has a top plate B', which, when itis thusinserted, closes the end of the case A. To the back or principal plate Bof the interior case or frame the register-case F F' is secured at apoint near the upper end-that is, immediately below the top plate B'.The stem of the plunger K protrudes out through the side plate B3 of theinterior vase or frame, and the side of the frame A is slotted from theupper end downward a short distance to allow the projecting knob orhandle K6 of said plunger to pass down as the interior case o1' frame istelescoped into the case A and protrude beyond the case A when theinterior case or frame is fully inserted within it. In the end B' ot`the interior case or frame there is provided a slot b', adapted to admita coin, and from the plunger K an arm KT extends upward and has thefinger 7i? bent across immediately below the slot h'. The dimension otthe slot and the position of the iinger k7 in respect thereto are suchthat a coin of the size designedto be admitted into the coin-receptacleatt-ached to this register-case cannot pass through the IOO TIO

slot on account of presence of the finger when the plunger is in itsoutermost position, nor until said plunger has been pressed far enoughinward to so fully actuate the first registerwheel G that the completionof its actuation one-tenth of a revolution must of necessity be effectedby the return movement of the plunger.

From the coin-aperture downward in the direction of the coin-receptaclea suitable guide-channel Z13 is provided for the coin between the platesB2 and B4, said channel being guarded edgewise by the ribs b4 l, whichintervene to separate the plates a suitable distance greater than thethickness of the coin to allow the coin to move freely, and saidchannel, after extending directly downward to a point a little below theplunger K, is deiiected edgewise toward the bell, which is locateddirectly underneath the registering mechanism. The channel thusdeiiected eX- tends through the transverse partition B5, which separatesthe registering mechanism from the bell, and ends just above the levelof the upper edge of the bell, a partition B6, extending verticallydownward from the transverse partition B5 across the bell to the loweredge of the interior case or frame, being cut away only sufficiently toavoid contact with the bell, which would deaden its sound; but thepartition Bis not sufficiently cut away to leave any considerableaperture between it and the'bell, and the two partitions B5 and B6 thusseparate a space B7, into one side of which the bell protrudes andthrough the top of which the coin-channel protrudes, and the bottom ofwhich opens directly into the top of the coin-receptacle. The coinemerg- 'ing from the channel b3 with an oblique direction downwardtoward the bell, strikes and rings while passing on through this space,and then Yimmediately falls, rebounding toward the side of the case intothe receptacle. In order to prevent the extraction of coins from thereceptacle by inverting the device and causing the coins to fall backout of the receptacle, with a possibility that they might enter thelower end of the channel, I provide the gate P, pivoted to the interiorcase orframe and Y adapted to swing upward to close the lower end of thechannel b3, so that when the device is inverted, before a coin can fallinto the channel-mouth at the bottom that mouth will be closed bythegate. This gate maybe held up against the channel-mouth by a very lightspring P, whose tension will be certain to be overcome by the weight ofthe coin, if

it is preferred to do so rather than depend on gravity to close itpromptly when the device is inverted. It will be observed that even if acoin should be extracted by any possible manipulation of the device adiscrepancy would thereby be caused to exist between the contents of thereceptacle and the indication of the register, so that the fact couldnot escape detection.

I do not limit myself to actuating the plunger K at will by means of itsprotruding end or handle, but it may be actuated directly by the coin inbeing pushed in past t-he obstructing finger IIT. I prefer, however,since it in no way prevents the accuracy of the registration or thecertainty of any other of the effects sought, to let the handleprotrude, as illustrated, because therebyI am able to avoid any dangerof the coin sticking or of the mechanism being difficult to operatebythe coin directly.

I claiml. In a fare-box, in combination with a receptacle to receive thecoin, an aperture in thc case to admit the coin, a bell located in thepath of the coin from the aperture to the receptacle, and therebyadapted to be sounded by the contact of the coin against it, and aregistering mechanism having its actuatingarm protruded across the pathof the coin and obstructing the entrance of the latter until the arm ismoved sufficiently to actuate the registering mechanism, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the case comprising the coin-receptacle, theregistering mechanism, andthe bell inclosed within the case, the casehaving an aperture to admit the coin, and the registering mechanismhaving its arm provided with a partwhich obstructs said aperture, andhaving a channel leading from said aperture to the coin-receptacle, thebell being located so as to protrude into said channel and be struck bythe coin as it passes, an automatic gate P to obstruct the channel,adapted to open toward the receptacle and to close toward the apertureto prevent the removal of coins from the receptacle, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, at Kansas City, Missouri,

ROBERT CLARKE. Witnesses:

XAVIER GANTER, G. H. SMITH.

IOO

